Thirty Years
by SiriusMarauderFan
Summary: It's Draco's thirtieth birthday and he's thinking back to his eighteenth, when everything changed for him. Post-DH One-Shot. Written for the Birthday Challenge in the HP Fanfiction Challenges forum. Happy Birthday, Draco!


**Author's Note:**

I chose Draco over Dobby, Neville, Harry, Ginny, and Percy, originally just because I felt bad that he probably wouldn't have a story up in time for his birthday. The idea came almost instantly afterwards, and I'm now so happy I chose him.

Thanks to wvvampire for looking this over. =)

**Thirty Years**

The morning of June the fifth was warmer than the others had been that week. Draco woke from the heat and sighed. It was his first day off in a while and he'd been hoping to sleep in until well after noon.

Yawning, he slid out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom where he stood looking at himself in the mirror for a moment. Nothing appeared to be out of order, apart from his ruffled hair. Same cold eyes, same slim figure, and not a single white hair.

'_Maybe being thirty won't be so bad,_' he thought to himself and smiled.

It wasn't too long ago that Draco hadn't had any reasons to smile on his birthday...

-Twelve Years Ago-

The Leaky Cauldron was enduring one of it's busiest days of the year, having four and a half customers. The half being the pet boar of a hag in the corner. With Diagon Alley in such bad shape, no one had stopped by the pub for a drink in quite some time. But the war was over now, and the Alley was slowly returning to its former glory, but it had only been a month.

Seated at the bar was Draco Malfoy, the blonde-haired, grey-eyed Slytherin Prince himself. Although he didn't look like his usual, charming self. He was badly in need of a hair cut, had bags under his eyes, was dressed in faded jeans and a light sweater, and had a nearly-empty glass of whiskey in front of him. He quickly downed the last bit and put the glass back down on the counter.

"Tom," he called for the barman, and nodded at the glass. "Another."

"Are you sure, Mr. Malfoy? That'll be your third."

Draco pulled a small pouch from his pocket and threw it on the counter, the coins inside making a racket. "I'm sure."

The back door opened, but the young man didn't bother to turn around. He wasn't expecting anyone. He did look to his left however, when a pretty young girl sat on the stool there.

"Can I have a gillywater please, Tom?" she asked in a quiet voice. The barman nodded and busied himself pouring the drinks.

Draco took a sideways glance at her while she was sorting out her money. She was younger than him, he noted. Maybe sixteen. Light brown hair that fell down her back in loose ringlets. Slim figure, but not stick-thin. When she turned her head and caught him looking at her, he saw that her eyes were a warm chocolate brown.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he echoed. He looked to the counter before him as Tom placed a full glass of whiskey there.

"Three's the limit," the barman told him, and went on to serve another customer.

"Rough morning?" the girl commented. Draco knew he should tell her to mind her own business, or try to flirt with her, as he usually would. As it was, he was too tired for either.

"Rough year."

She nodded. "Yeah, it's been rough for everyone. At least things are getting better."

He let out a short cold laugh. "Not for everyone." And he took a gulp of the whiskey.

"What's so bad about today?"

"It's my birthday."

"Happy birthday."

"Right. Thanks." He didn't look at her, keeping his eyes on the glass.

She studied him carefully. "Why aren't you celebrating with your family?"

"My parents," he spat the last word out, "are in court. Of all days the Ministry could have scheduled the trial, it had to be today."

"No other family?"

"Nope."

"Friends?"

Draco shook his head and took another sip. "None. They all hate me - not that there were many to begin with. And my girlfriend..." He chuckled. "She left me. Said I was selfish coward. It's a bit like the cauldron calling the kettle black, really." He quickly drank the last of the whiskey and faced her, noticing again how young she was, but also where they were. "What are you doing here?" he asked suddenly. "It's not safe for you to be here on your own, you know."

She smiled. "I'm not. My parents and sister are in the Alley, getting robes fitted."

"You don't need any?"

"My sister and I are the same size. We alternate getting measured on shopping trips." He nodded. "Are you just going to stay here all day, drinking?"

"No. If Tom was serious about that being my last drink, I'll probably go over to Hogsmeade and see if the Hog's Head is still open."

The girl shook her head and sipped her water. At the sound of the back door opening, she turned around and smiled.

"They're back. I have to go," she told him. "It was nice talking to you. And happy birthday, again." She dropped a few sickles on the bar and walked away.

"Yeah. Right."

Draco studied his empty glass for a moment then raised his head to call Tom over when a hand was placed on his shoulder, spinning him around on the bar stool.

"Let's go," the girl said when Draco was facing her.

"What?"

"No one should be alone on their birthday. And I've got time."

"Your family...?"

"They don't mind." She motioned behind her where a middle-aged couple were helping a girl Draco's age into the fireplace to Floo with several shopping bags. He recognized her as Daphne Greengrass, a friend of Pansy's. "Come on. Fortescue's just reopened. Do you want to get an ice cream?"

"It ... it's not safe in the Alley."

"We've both got our wands. We'll be fine." She threw some more sickles on the bar to pay for his drinks and then pulled him off the stool. "My name's Astoria, by the way."

"I'm Draco."

"I know." Astoria grinned as she led the way out of the pub.

-Present Day-

Draco smiled to himself, recalling the memory.

"Draco? Are you up yet?"

He heard a woman's voice calling and went back into the bedroom.

"Oh, there you are." Astoria walked up to him and he wrapped his arms around her. "Happy birthday."

"It is now," he said and kissed her. She pulled back and smiled.

"Get dressed. We're meeting your mother in a half hour and then we've got to pick up the cake for the party."

Draco whined. "Do we _have_ to? I was hoping to go back to bed."

"It's already eleven-thirty!"

"Can't I just sleep in 'til one?"

"No."

"Okay, but can we cancel the party?"

"No! All the invitations have already been sent out. And the _Potters_ are coming, so you better be on your best behavior. And before you ask, your mother will sooner rob Gringotts than let you get out of a lunch date with her."

Draco scowled and was just about to head to the closet when the bedroom door swung open and a four-year-old blonde boy came running in, waving a birthday card in his hand.

"Happy birthday, Daddy. Auntie Daphne help me make this," he said and handed Draco the card.

"Thanks, Scor." He grinned at the boy. "You just made this the best birthday ever."

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

Well, there you have it. A nice little birthday present for Draco, eh?

If you want to wish Draco a happy thirtieth birthday, you may do so in a review. ;)

-Lizzy


End file.
